Valley doctor: Energy drinks can be fatal

By Bob McClay | June 19, 2014 at 5:00 amUPDATED: June 19, 2014 at 5:00 am

PHOENIX — A Valley mom says her daughter died of a heart attack while on vacation in Rocky Point.

Kris Hamann blames the death of her 16-year-old daughter Lanna on energy drinks. Lanna’s friends say she was drinking very little water but a lot of energy drinks on the day she died.

A Valley doctor confirms that energy drinks can be dangerous. Dr. Hammad Amer, a vascular surgeon at Banner Heart Hospital, said they are way more potent than soft drinks. He cited the results of a recent study by the University of Miami.

“The single-use drinks that come in those little bottles can be up to 10 times as much caffeine as a soda,” Amer said. “It can cause increased anxiety, disruptions in sleep habits, arrhythmia and sudden death.”

Amer said that the energy drinks are often marketed similar to sports drinks, but they don’t replace the body’s fluids.

For those who consume energy drinks, Amer gave this advice.

“I think moderation is probably best, and stay hydrated,” he

Amer would also like to see more government regulation of energy drinks.